We recently conducted a gift giving survey of more than 1,300 Americans with a household income of $50,000/yr or more to explore areas of gift giving that usually go missed in traditional surveys on holiday shopping. Well, it worked! We learned so many surprising tid bits that we had to put out a press release on the 10 Hidden Secrets of Gift Giving. But, after picking 10 stats to highlight in the press release, we felt like there were still so many more worth sharing. Hence, this blog post. Read on to learn 23 things about gift giving that you probably never knew before and that will hopefully make you a better gift shopper, gift giver and gift "getter".... read more
Some toys, such as Beanie Babies, attract large numbers of enthusiasts, eventually becoming collectibles. Other toys, such as Boyds Bears are marketed to adults as collectibles. Some people spend large sums of money in an effort to acquire larger and more complete collections. The record for a single Pez dispenser at auction, for example, is US$1100.[48]
* Financing available is "Equal payments, no interest" for 24 months (unless otherwise stated) and is only available on request, on approved credit and on purchases of $200 or more (excluding gift cards) made with your Triangle credit card at Canadian Tire, Sport Chek and participating Marks and Atmosphere locations. Interest does not accrue during the period of the plan. However, if we do not receive the full minimum due on a statement within 59 days of the date of that statement, or any event of default (other than a payment default) occurs under your Cardmember Agreement, all special payment plans on your account will terminate and (i) you will then be charged interest on the balances outstanding on such plans at the applicable regular annual rate from the day after the date of your next statement, and (ii) the balances outstanding will form part of the balance due on that statement. There is no administration fee charged for entering into a special payments plan. Each month during an equal payments plan you are required to pay in full by the due date that month’s equal payments plan instalment. Any unpaid portion not received by the due date will no longer form part of the equal payments plan and interest will accrue on that amount from the day after the date of your next statement at the applicable regular annual rate.
Puzzles became greatly fashionable as well. In 1893, the English lawyer Angelo John Lewis, writing under the pseudonym of Professor Hoffman, wrote a book called Puzzles Old and New.[13] It contained, amongst other things, more than 40 descriptions of puzzles with secret opening mechanisms. This book grew into a reference work for puzzle games and was very popular at the time. The Tangram puzzle, originally from China, spread to Europe and America in the 19th century.
Certain toys, such as Barbie dolls and toy soldiers, are often perceived as being more acceptable for one gender than the other. The turning point for the addition of gender to toys came about in the 1960s and 1970s. Before 1975, only about two percent of toys were labeled by gender, whereas today on the Disney store's website, considered a dominating global force for toys by researcher Claire Miller, all toys are labeled by gender.[26] The journal Sex Roles began publishing research on this topic in 1975, focusing on the effects of gender in youth. Too, many psychological textbooks began to address this new issue. Along with these publications, researchers also started to challenge the ideas of male and female as being opposites, even going as far as to claim toys which have characteristics of both gender are preferable.[27]

Additional information for residents of Quebec only: The regular annual rate for persons applying for the Triangle credit card is 22.99% for cash transactions and related fees and 19.99% for all other charges. Some applicants may receive a higher or lower regular annual rate depending on a credit evaluation. The minimum payment is the sum of (a) interest and fees shown on your statement, (b) the greater of any amount past due or any balance over your credit limit, (c) the amount of any equal payments plan instalments then due, and (d) $10. Balances under $10 are due in full. For residents of Quebec, the period between the statement date and the due date for payment is 26 days. The billing period covered by each statement can be from 28-33 days. The Triangle Mastercard does not have an annual fee. Examples of borrowing costs (rounded to the nearest cent) assuming that all charges are purchases bearing interest at the regular annual rate of 19.99%, a 30 day month, no charges made on special payment plans and no other fees, additional payments or other changes are: